Hoopoe : Sker House, Porthcawl - Return Visit

My good friend and fellow birder/togger Dave Gilbert was on holiday in North Wales last week when the Hoopoe turned up and so asked me if I would like to make another visit this morning with him and his friend Richard who lives across the channel in Somerset and had crossed over the bridge to see the bird which was a 'lifer' for both himself and Dave.

When arriving at the field that the bird had been favouring I was amazed how close the bird was to the fenceline allowing some better shots than I obtained on my first visit last Thursday.

The three of us 'filled our boots' until the bird took flight after about 10-15mins and moved a little further away.

Here are a selection of some of the images that I came away with which I am more than pleased with......

 

Birding Down West

 I thought I'd post a few images taken over the past three weeks from WT Teifi Marshes, Teifi Estuary, Poppit Sands and Mwnt whilst spending time at the caravan......

Grey Heron with eel : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Common Kingfisher (M) : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Little Grebe : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Ringed Plover : Gwbert

Dunlin : Gwbert

Sanderling : Poppit Sands

Grey Squirrel : Poppit Sands (on edge of water)

Curlew : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Common Kingfisher (M) : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Little Egret : Teifi Estuary

Kittiwake : Cei Bach, Newquay

Grey Seals : Mwnt

Common Kingfisher (M) : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Little Grebe : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Common Kingfisher (M) : Mallard Hide, Teifi Marshes

Sandwich Tern : Cei Bach, Newquay

Rock Pipit : Cei Bach, Newquay

Hoopoe : Sker House, Porthcawl

 Having spent most of our time down at our caravan in Pembrokeshire recently it was a nice coincidence that a great bird had turned up on the doorstep the same afternoon as we arrived home.

It was a Hoopoe found in the fields adjacent Sker House, Porthcawl late Wednesday afternoon but it was too late for me to go for it that evening and I hoped that it would still be there Thursday morning.

Thanks to Dean Bolt for getting the news out early and on arrival at about 9.00am it was good to bump into Colin Gittins, Paul Parsons and Frank Sengpiel who unfortunately was just leaving.

As I arrived so did the rain and an almighty shower gave the gathered birders and 'toggers' a thorough soaking, most of us were unprepared as the forecast did not predict rain.

Also present were Della Lack, Steve Rosser, Mike Pugh, Colin Harvey, Graham Powell, Ian Lucas, Alan Rosney, Gareth Jenkins, Oscar Wainright, and Strinda Davies as birders came and went throughout the day.

Now being retired and with plenty of time on my hands I could stay as long as I wanted and spent the whole day there catching up and chatting with people that I hadn't met for ages due to Covid.

The bird didn't show particularly well although always present in the same field, it preferred to feed behind a rise in the terrain and was always a little too distant for really good photos.

It was nice to speak with Tim Hall who turned up in the afternoon with his wife Gill although that was by mobile as we were at opposite ends of the field.

Anyway, here are a few images that I came away with, some that I am pleased with and others such as the flight shots which were accidental as the bird flew from the the wall, they are a tad blurry as I was on the wrong settings.........

This was only my third Hoopoe in the UK and an East Glamorgan 'tick' for me having seen previous birds near Rhosili, Gower and over the channel in Somerset.

Long-billed Dowitcher : WWT, Penclacwydd, Llanelli

 Having spent a lot of time at our new caravan at Poppit Sands, Cardigan I was hoping that the Long-billed Dowitcher found recently at WWT, Llanelli would hang about until we came home last Thursday, it duly obliged but wasn't showing when Teresa and myself called in on our way home.

I therefore decided to make a visit yesterday and rocked up at the car park at 10.30am, Nigel Williams informed me that the bird was still present and was showing well on the lagoon from the Observatory Hide although on arrival it was not in view.

A few birders were present including Ray Davies and Dave Williams who I had not seen for a couple of years and after a 'call of nature' visit back to the reserve centre the bird was showing really well down to about 30m when I arrived back to the Observatory Hide.

I took a series of photos of this vagrant from North America together with some of a small party of Black-tailed Godwits and was really pleased with the images that I came away with.

I've seen three previous L-b Dowitchers in this country but they have either been in juvenile or winter plumage, this specimen still retaining summer plumage is something special.

The 'Cardiff Birders' were enjoying a day out and duly arrived at the hide and it was good to catch up and chat with Phil Bristow, 'Jake' Gilmore, Mike Powell and Judd Hunt who were moving on to Burry Port for terns after leaving Llanelli.

I hung about for another 30mins or so but with the Dowitcher not coming any closer I decided to head for home, what a fabulous morning out.